Saturday, 31 July 2010

Like my misreading also just one letter, creating such difficulties in finding F. Tidemand Johannesson in my previous posting, this lovely woodcut of Chrysanthemums in a vase was only unveiled and exposed after the auction-cataloque-makers mistake: she mistyped or misread: Edgar Halloway as the maker of this print. I have never seen it before, so a rare find ? Even if it's only a picture.http://www.clivechristy.com/2010/06/edgar-holloway-1914-2008.html

In my pictures archive I had this picture of "Gulls and Cliffs". The maker: F. Tidemann Johannessen. That's what I read. In pencil the Norwegian title is shown lower left.

And that is why I failed to find any information on the Internet. It's Tidemand Johannessen. That gives a few clues on the www. but not much is revealed about this artist.

The Gulls-print belonging to a rare set of 12 coloured woodcutprints published in 1953:

"Norge i 12 Originale Fargestresnitt"

Each print representing a month of the year, the motifs divided between the North, West, East and South. Recently someone sent me two more pictures of this series. Living on the edge of the same Northsea, I really appriciate them . And would I very much like to know more about this artist.

"fiskerflötte ... lofotveggen" (Fishingfleet in the Lofoten)

"nordlys an Finnmarkvidda" (aurora borealis in Finmarksvidda ?)

And I even found a no. 4 of this series.

"epleblomster .. Hardanger" (Apple blossoms in Hardangerfjord)

Frithjof T.J. also designed the glaswindows in Thorsov Church in his native Oslo. This church was initiated 1958 so they probably have been his last achievements. He died, aged only 42, in the same year.

Thanks to: Clive, Art and the Easthete, for correcting and putting me on the track!

Tuesday, 27 July 2010

These titmouse were published last year november in Lotusgreen's Japonism Blog. "Sui Seki" is what is attached to the pictures' data but that has nothing to do with the maker. It's British and I think in the middle it says "by ........." but I cannot read it properly.

When I discovered this print, subject, colors and perspective, it instantly reminded me of the palette and compositions of Australian printmaker Cressida Campbell (1960- )

"The Veranda" by Cressida Campbell

How this American print ended up in Germany I have no idea. It was love on first site from my part so I could not resist buying it. Had to have it. And it is interesting enough to appear as guest of honour on my Blog. I think.

It's not in pristine condition but that (some matline, foxing and staining) was allready noticed and written on the back when in 1961 this print was exhibited in the 21th Annual Color Print Exhibition of the American Color Print Society. Also earlier matting has been a bit narrow. Bit with respect to a, or possibly more previous lives, restoration isn't necessary to enjoy the craftsmanship and aesthetic modernistic composition.

one of the many famous films "other Charles" directed.

Researching the artist Charles Lederer on the Internet is very much obstructed by this other and namesake Charles Lederer (1910-1967) who was a rather important Holywood film writer and director in the 1930-50's. Almost 100% hits on this "other Charles".

Serendipity ?

Casper's chili restaurant , 100 years in Springfield.

This is the worldfamous-in-Springfield (Mo, US) chili-restaurant Casper's. It was started in 1909 by Casper Lederer (1884-1972) a former sheetmusic seller and run by his son Charles after Casper died in 1972. Besides famous for its chili it's also known for its collection of art (woodblockprints) on all walls and by the hand of owner/artist Charles Lederer. My family name (which is not all that common) on Charles' shed. Coincidence ?

This second woodblockprint (sold for $ 325) is all I was able to find on the artistic output of Charles Lederer. In both cases edition-numbers are low (15 and 20). Charles was married to English professor Dr. Kathy Gay-Lederer and died (he ended his own life) in 1985.

"Bowl", woodblock-print, signed and dated 18-4-1955, no. 6/15.

Charles Lederer wrote two books on drawing, one still available (reprint via Amazon) today.

Monday, 26 July 2010

This is probably one of the nicest but enigmatic pictures I have ever found on the Internet. A lady in the USA (thank you Maure !) had found it before me on the Internet. I've not been able to locate where it came frome sofar. And I tried hard.I love Gingerjars and I love Nasturtiums. It also put me up with a very unknown woodblock printmaker. There is nothing at all to be found on (non paying) internet sites or what so ever. No details on her life, no other works but the following 3 pictures I came across in old auction cataloques.(The last 2 of rather poor quality)

The composition, perspective, the rendering of the vases' shadow and background showing similarities. I think my NOID print was rudely taken out a frame or was cut from a glued board surface to this new format. The Internet not giving any further clues to this German printmaking lady. Nor any other work.

Saturday, 17 July 2010

Wether Adolf Kunst is related to Carl Kunst I don't know. Answering one question and solving a problem often leading to the next. Kind of academic approach. Like I try to stimulate my students to do. Professionally. Staying curious. A habit and way of thinking not easy to lay aside in privat. Great fun too ofcourse but the question if Adolf and Carl were in any way related is not simply to be solved through the www.

Why Adolf's path and mine never crossed is easy to understand. I am not into ex-librisses. But as Charles (read his comment on Carl Kunst) raised a question about the matter I felt obligated to at least go into it a little bit deeper.

Adolf Kunst was appointed Professor at the "Baufachschule" in Münich 1912 and kept that position untill 1929. Besides his architectural career he illustrated many books and was in his time named specifically an "Alpine Ex-librismaker". He collected many of his Ex-Libris production in a book called "Ex Libris 1911-1930".

The Alpine quotation maybe a clue to a relationship to Carl Kunst who left us also and mainly Alpine pictures (posters).

He was a very productive ex-libris maker and will have been very popular and in demand. When you see the quality of his miniature printings you can imagine why. His Ex-libris printings are frequently on offer and widely collected. I perticularly like his litle flowerpieces.

Whilst writing this little noting I happen to listen to this (serendipity ?):

Thursday, 15 July 2010

German grafic artist (Plakatkünstler)Poster and PrintmakerBookcover and Postcard designer

A rare print by the hand of an even more enigmatic artist. He died very young (aged 27) but he made some very remarkable works of Art. Most are known as posters (Plakat) and most show wintery scenes. His mass reproduced posters are popular to this day. Originals in auctions make big prices. All matching dates I've found are 1905-1911. Spanning only some 6 years. So young and such talents. What if ....

Half a century later (1955) Shiro Kasamatsu had a similar thought. His print (Bird and Tree in 4 Seasons) is high on my wannahave list. Carl's print I stumbled upon and came in the post today.

To my knowledge Carl Kunst's works have nowhere been brought together. So let me have a go. High time after a 100 years. If there are more, please let me know.

Martha Wenzel studied in München (under Ernst Neumann, grafics- and posterartist) and Münich (under Ernst Staufer-Bern, portrait artist and also teacher of Käthe Kollwitz), where she worked and also later in Kassel. She was best known for her "Farbenholzschnitt"orcolor woodblock printing. She is mentioned in most German Artist indexes from 1900-1930.

Having two granddaughters about the same age it made a very appropriate gift on our recent weddingday.

This print was made as an attachment or folio ("Originalbeilage") for the subscribers of the "Zeitschrift für bildende Kunst" in 1905. For 50 years, until about 1915 Germans (and the worlds) leading monthly art magazine.

Artist were invited to create grafic prints on a thematical basis. These exclusively for the magazine made prints have always been highly valued by collectors. I learned from the very nice dealer who sold me my copy (at a very friendly price) of the two girls that no artist-signed copies of this print are in any international collection.

The ones that show up (same paper, same borders) are almost certainly falsly signed.

Artist like Emil Nolde, Käthe Kollwitz and Schmidt-Rotluff published prints for the magazine and today sometimes fetch very high prices, upto €1000.

A painting by Martha, a copy of "the Architect" by Rembrand which is owned by the Kassel Museum (Ger.) were she lived changed hands for €400 at an auction in 2009.Surely something to show of with, I wonder who bought it.

Wednesday, 14 July 2010

Not speaking Tjech or even understanding the language at first I didnot know what my "Rainy Square in Prague with St. Nicolas Church print" was. Other than beautifull. Until I studied a Tjech auction cataloque and did some easy translating

My print was called Sv Mikulás (zima). Zima for winter. So I learned of existing Spring and Summer and Fall. The 4 seasons in Praque. Around 1940.

Here they are with more or less matching pictures from today Prague. The 1000 year city.

Winter: sv. Mikulás (zima) Old Town square with St. Nicholas church

Spring: Hradcany s letné (jaro): the castle on the hill dominating Praque as seen from the Old Town

Summer: Pohled s nábrezi (leto): View on Moldau embankments as seen from the Old Town